Prince Charles and Camilla have spent the day in 104 degree heat in the Australian outback on the first day of their Australian tour, at the end of which Charles complained: "I'm so jet lagged I feel a few sausages short of a Barbie."

About 1,000 locals turned out to welcome the royal visitors, according to a blog being run of the visit by the local Brisbane Times.

The royals touched down by private jet just before 4pm local time, at the outback town of Longreach, where their first job was to watch watched a simulated emergency exercise or the Royal Flying Doctor service.

Next came a walkabout, with one little girl very hesitant to give up her flowers to Camilla.

"Shall I have them?" Camilla asked her to which the child holding out the bunch replied "nope" while shaking her head.

"That's quite all right," the Duchess told her.

Charles and Camilla had arrived from Papua New Guinea where Charles made a speech in the local ‘pidgin’ dialect: “Mi nambawan pikinini bilong misis kwin,” he announced to a welcoming crowd of 5,000 in a sports stadium, “I am the first-born child of Mrs Queen.”

Earlier in the day on Sunday the royal couple were greeted by topless women and warriors performing traditional dances, and tribesmen with giant vast masks on their heads.